Dust Free Construction Barrier System

ABSTRACT

A panelized, reusable barrier system allowing for containment of construction areas in hospitals and other clean room environments. Panels are adjustable in height from 92″ to 120″. Panels are available in 12″, 24″, 36″ and 48″ widths. Door panels consist of a 44″ wide door mounted in a 48″ wide panel. Custom clips secure the top of the panels to suspended ceiling grid. Custom camlock fasteners fasten the panels to each other. Hinged corner posts allow for wall transitions ranging from 10° to 90°. Porting options are available to allow for HEPA filtered air discharge and for monitoring differential air pressure between the work area and the public area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Remodel work in hospitals and other clean room environments is common place. Prior to this invention, barrier systems separating the work area from the public area consisted of either a soft type barrier or a hard type barrier.

Soft type barriers consist of a poly sheet material extending from the floor to the ceiling. These barriers should be limited to one day construction projects where the work is completed and the barrier is removed before the workers leave at the end of the day. It's difficult to get a good seal between soft barriers and existing walls, floors and ceilings. Usually the seal is created using tape. Passage through the barrier is typically accomplished with a zipper opening. Workers and material passing through the zipper opening often get caught up and pull the tape loose. The poly material is subject to cuts and tearing. The work area air pressure should be negative to the public area. Negative air pressure causes the poly sheeting to balloon into the work area often breaking the tape seal.

Hard type barriers typically consist of walls built on site with metal studs and drywall. Construction of these walls creates dust so a soft barrier needs to be installed prior to building the hard barrier. Hard barriers require several man hours to build including carpenters, laborers, tapers/painters and possibly an electrician. These barriers can have doors installed in them to allow for workers and material in and out of the work area. Usually the door consists of a hollow metal frame with a wood or steel door. The combination of drywall and a solid door creates a dangerous situation for the public when workers exit the construction area due to the lack of vision. A worker may rapidly open the door into a patient or staff member. The solid wall prevents ambient light from entering the enclosure so temporary lighting is usually required.

At the completion of the project a soft barrier must be reinstalled because of the dust generated by the demolition of the hard barrier. Hard barrier removal requires several more man hours and the material is usually scrapped.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the problems encountered with the soft barrier and hard barrier wall systems. This wall system consists of individual panels, in a variety of widths that quickly fasten together without creating any dust or noise. The panels are constructed with an extruded aluminum frame and a tough polycarbonate lens. This panel system typically may be assembled with less than one man hour. Ambient light passes through the panels, creating a pleasant work environment, eliminating the need for temporary lighting. A prefabricated door panel allows for the quick installation of a door with a locking handle and a hydraulic closer. As workers exit the enclosure, patients and staff on the public side can be seen, preventing collisions. Panels adjust in height from 92″ to 120″. They have gasket material around all edges and around the door creating a fully sealed enclosure. Panels are ridged and very tough. Differential air pressure has no effect on these panels and they will hold up to impacts from hospital carts and beds. This containment system is esthetically pleasing and doesn't require any type of paint or finish. Panels are easily cleaned with a damp cloth and sanitizer. Enclosure removal is very simple and takes less time than the installation. The panels are completely reusable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing an enclosure assembly commonly used as an anteroom type entrance from a public corridor into a construction area.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing details of how the sliding top panel interacts with the stationary lower panel to allow for panel height adjustment.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing grid clip assembly details.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing camlock assembly details.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view showing details of the exhaust port and the panel leveling channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention is made up of modular panels with unique functions. The panels may be configured in several ways to create barrier systems for blocking off areas or to create an ante room type enclosure, as shown. 101 depicts a 48″ wide solid panel, 102 is a door panel, 103 is the hinged corner post, 104 is a 24″ panel which may be a solid panel or configured with porting options, 105 is the porting option for HEPA filtered air discharge (detailed in FIG. 5), 106 is the porting option for a differential pressure gauge. Closure strips 107 are 1/16″ thick polycarbonate angles with a 1″ leg and a 4″ leg. The 1″ leg has a ¾″×¾″ soft gasket adhered to it that forms a seal to the existing facility walls, the 4″ leg is secured to the enclosure system side rail with double sided polyethylene tape and screws. This creates an airtight seal between the enclosure system and the facility walls. 201 and 202 depict handrail and crashrail that are often encountered in hospital corridors. They are not part of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, one of the key features of this invention is having the ability to easily adjust to different ceiling heights. This is accomplished by having an adjustable upper panel that slides up and down on a lower fixed panel. The total height adjustment range is 92″ to 120″.

The lower panel consists of a frame constructed of extruded aluminum 133. The extrusion has continuous slots that encase 6 mm twin wall polycarbonate panels 123. The side rails of the bottom panel have foam gasket material 127 inserted into their outer slots to form a seal with the adjoining panels. The bottom rail of the panel (shown in FIG. 5) floats in a channel and is supported by a bolt which serves as a pivot point creating a self leveling channel 130 which conforms to the floor. The bottom of the channel has a ⅛″×1″ neoprene gasket 132 adhered to it creating a seal between the floor and the panel. The adjustable upper panel is constructed of the same extruded aluminum material 133 as the lower panel, a 1/16″ clear polycarbonate sheet is fastened to the face of the frame with double sided foam tape and screws. The upper panel is secured to the lower panel by a tee nut and threaded stud assembly 126 and knob 112 which has internal threads. This locking assembly is typical on the left and right sides of the panel. A polyethylene guide block 125 on the left and right sides of the sliding panel aids in keeping the panels aligned. The sides of the upper panel have foam gasket material 127 inserted into their outer slots to form a seal with the adjoining panels. The top of the panel's top rail has a ¼″×¾″ soft foam gasket 128 adhered to it to create a seal with the ceiling tile. The panel height is adjusted by loosening the tee nut locking assemblies and sliding the top panel up to the ceiling. When the top panel is adjusted to match the ceiling height, the locking assembly knobs are tightened. This creates a seal between the top rail of the lower fixed panel and the 1/16″ polycarbonate sheet on the face of the adjustable upper panel frame. Grid Clip assemblies 122 (detailed in. FIG. 3) secure the top of the panel to ceiling grid. Camlock fastener assemblies 120 (detailed in FIG. 4) lock the sides of the panel to other panels and components. Slots 103 are cut into the aluminum extruded frame to allow tee nuts to be inserted.

Referring to FIG. 3, the grid clip assembly secures the panel top rail to suspended ceiling grid. The body of the grid clip 137 is made of aluminum. The grid clip assembly fastens to the top rail of the upper panel with a threaded stud, tee nut 134 and thumbscrew 138. A slot 103 is machined into the top rail to allow for insertion of the tee nuts. Once inserted into the top rail the grid clip assembly may be positioned at any point along the length of the rail. The top of the grid clip body hooks onto ceiling grid and has a low profile as to not raise the ceiling tile. A thumbscrew and threaded stud assembly 139 screws into the grid clip body and applies force to a PVC block 140 which applies pressure to the ceiling grid. The ceiling grid is pinched in between the PVC block and the top of the grid clip body 137 locking the grid clip and panel top rail together. The PVC block prevents damage to the ceiling grid. ¼″×¾″ soft gasket material 128 is adhered to the top of the top rail which creates a seal with the ceiling tile.

Referring to FIG. 4, the camlock assembly fastens panels together. The camlock body 135 is made of aluminum. The body 135 is fastened to the panel side rails 127 with a threaded stud, tee nut 136 and thumbscrew 134. The adjoining panel side rail has a threaded stud, tee nut 136 and thumbscrew 134. Slots 103 are machined into the side rails to allow for insertion of the tee nuts. Once inserted into the side rails the camlock assembly may be positioned at any point along the length of the rail. The camlock body 135 has a radial slot which is not concentric to its pivot point. As the radial slot of the camlock body is pushed onto the thumbscrew assembly of the mating panel rail it draws the two panels together. The side rails of the panels have closed cell gasket material 127 to create a seal.

Referring to FIG. 5, the exhaust port is an optional feature that allows air to be discharged from the contained work space creating negative air pressure compared to the public or clean side of the contained space. The exhaust port ring 105 accepts an 8″ diameter exhaust hose internally and a 10″ exhaust hose externally. There is a port ring on the inside and outside of the enclosure allowing for different hose connection options. If the exhaust port is not used it may be plugged 129. FIG. 5 is also showing the level channel 130 that is typical to all panels other than the door panel. The leveling channel fits around the bottom rail 133 of the fixed lower panel. There is a ½″ space between the bottom of the panel rail 133 and the top side of the horizontal leg of the channel 130. A bolt 131 passes through the channel and the bottom panel rail creating a pivot point. In the event of an unlevel floor the panel may be erected level or plumb and the channel will follow the floor. ⅛″ neoprene gasket material 132 is adhered to the bottom side of the channel creating a seal between the channel and the floor. 

1-3. (canceled)
 4. An adjustable panel system, comprising: an upper panel assembly, the upper panel assembly comprising: an upper frame having an upper face, an upper rail, and a guide element positioned along the upper rail, and a backing sheet, wherein the backing sheet is fastened to the upper face; a lower panel assembly, the lower panel assembly comprising a lower frame having a lower face and a lower rail having a vertical guide slot running substantially along the height of the lower rail; and a locking fastener having a locked configuration; wherein the upper panel assembly and the lower panel assembly are mutually engageable by aligning the upper rail and the lower rail with the upper face and the lower face mutually facing, and inserting the guide element into the vertical guide slot; wherein while the upper panel assembly and the lower panel assembly are mutually engaged, the guide element is moveable along the vertical guide slot to effect the displacement of the upper panel assembly over a range of positions; and wherein while the upper panel assembly and the lower panel assembly are mutually engaged, the locking fastener is securable to the upper rail and the lower rail; wherein the range of positions includes a position such that while the locking fastener is secured to the upper rail and the lower rail and the locking fastener is placed in the locked configuration, the backing sheet and the lower face meet flushly.
 5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a ceiling fastener having a laterally locked configuration and a vertically locked configuration; wherein the upper panel assembly further comprises a top rail; wherein the ceiling fastener is fastenable to the top rail; wherein the ceiling fastener is securable to a grid rail of a ceiling, wherein the ceiling comprises a grid rail and a ceiling panel; wherein while the ceiling fastener is fastened to the top rail and to the grid rail of the ceiling, and while the ceiling fastener is placed in the laterally locked configuration and is placed in the vertically locked position, the top rail and the ceiling panel meet flushly.
 6. The system of claim 4, further comprising a level channel flushly secured to a floor; wherein the level channel has a side wall; wherein the lower panel assembly further comprises a bottom rail; wherein the bottom rail is pivotably fastenable to the level channel such that the lower face and the side wall meet flushly.
 7. The system of claim 4, further comprising a closure strip having a first face and a second face; wherein the upper rail and the lower rail are laterally fastenable to a wall by securing the first face to the wall heightwise and securing the second face to the upper rail and to the lower rail heightwise.
 8. The system of claim 4, further comprising: a cam lock, and an adjoining upper panel assembly comprising an adjoining upper rail; wherein the cam lock is securable to the upper rail and the adjoining upper rail such that the upper rail and the adjoining upper rail meet flushly substantially along the height of the upper rail and the height of the adjoining upper rail.
 9. The system of claim 4, further comprising: a cam lock, and an adjoining lower panel assembly comprising an adjoining lower rail; wherein the cam lock is securable to the lower rail and the adjoining lower rail such that the lower rail and the adjoining lower rail meet flushly substantially along the height of the lower rail and the height of the adjoining lower rail. 